Much Has Changed
by Zuvios Gemini
Summary: **NOW OFF HIATUS** "'I wouldn't expect anything less from you. Human pig-scum.' Dib froze at the familiar insult. He finally met the man's steely eyes. The man smiled. 'Let's talk.'" After many years, Zim seeks out Dib. But for what purpose? ZaDR. Rating may change.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This fic came to me randomly so I had to get it down on paper. :P Hope you guys enjoy it. :) I don't normally do this (I'm actually kind of against it) but these chapters are probably going to be huge. I haven't got time to do it 1,000 to 2,000 words at a time, so there will probably be no more than 3 giant chapters.

**Title: **Much Has Changed

**Summary: **"I wouldn't expect anything less from you. Human pig-scum." Dib froze at the familiar insult. He finally met the man's steely eyes. The man smiled. "Let's talk." After many years, Zim seeks out Dib. But for what purpose?

**Word Count: **1,532

**Pairing(s): **Zim/Dib, ZaDR

**Warnings: **AU, future-verse, slash, language, themes

**Soundtrack: **_Reprobate Romance_ by WhitewidoW

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Zim, Dib, and all related belong to Jhonen Vasquez and Nickelodeon.**

[Z] [Z] [Z] [Z] [Z]

Dib let his head meet his desk with a _thump_. Another day, another 8 hours of sitting behind his desk. It was ridiculous. This was not the future he had imagined for himself.

Turning his head to the side, he sighed and stared at the old picture that sat atop his desk. His father, Gaz, and his younger self stared back. Allowing himself a small smile, he sat back up and went back to finishing his report. He was mildly aware of his office door opening so he finished the last sentence before he looked up.

Standing in front of his desk was an extremely tall man in a swanky business suit; all black except for the shirt, which was a dark red. His jet black hair was all swept back in gentle spikes with a few pieces on his forehead. All the dark colors on him complimented his pale skin. His hands were in his pockets as he observed Dib with a certain air of authority.

"Can I help you?" Dib asked. The man cocked his head slightly, a small smile playing on his thin lips.

"Perhaps." The man replied. Dib waited for him to continue. When he didn't, Dib swallowed nervously.

"Okay. Uhm what can I help you with?" He said, attempting a smile and hoping it didn't look fake. The man tucked his chin slightly, looking down the length of his nose at Dib.

"You don't recognize me do you." The man's smooth tenor voice had an odd cadence to it. Dib struggled to keep his smile steady.

"Should I?"

The man cocked his head again, still eying Dib.

"We went to school together. Many years ago."

Dib chuckled.

"I'm sorry but. I don't remember you." He pressed 'print' and turned his chair around to retrieve his report. He missed the smile the man shot at him.

"I wouldn't expect anything less from you. Human pig-scum."

Dib froze, feeling his blood run cold at the long-since forgotten insult. Slowly, almost hesitantly, he rotated his chair back around. He finally met the man's steel-colored eyes and all of his memories coming rushing back. A nervous feeling fluttered in his stomach. The man smiled slowly, showing a few zipper-shaped teeth, and inclined his head towards the door.

"Let's talk."

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Dib tugged his long black coat closer around himself, feeling a little chilly but enjoying the crisp November air nonetheless. He glanced at the man walking next to him. Zim had gotten so tall. He used to be so abnormally short. If Dib had to take a guess, he would say Zim was at least 6'5". That was tall regardless, but compared to Dib's own height of 5'9"? It was ridiculous.

The pair sat down at a table at a small café, ordering coffee. Dib stared as Zim took a slow drink, not even flinching or screaming. The alien noticed him staring and smiled.

"Much has changed since we last saw each other." He commented, watching Dib as carefully as Dib was watching him. The human nodded and took a sip of his own coffee.

"How long has it been?" Zim asked casually, looking at the traffic passing them on the street.

"I don't really know. 18 years maybe?" Dib answered. He almost cringed when Zim's steely eyes snapped to his face.

"18 years, 4 months, and 32 days to be exact." Zim said tightly, a little bit of his younger self showing through in the form of the hard look he was giving Dib. Dib raised an eyebrow.

"Wow. That long, huh." He said softly, ignoring Zim's obvious mistake, as he was still a bit wary of the alien seated in front of him.

"Indeed." Zim said simply, holding his coffee cup with both hands, eyes never leaving Dib. Dib swallowed and glanced away, taking a steadying breath.

"It doesn't seem that long to me." He said, his brow creasing slightly when he realized he was right. It hardly felt like 18 some-odd years. It seemed like just yesterday he and Zim were battling for control of the Earth. Being 11 at the time, Dib had considered himself the sole protector of Earth, but now that he was older, he realized that Zim was never really a threat. At least, not when he was younger.

He cast another glance at the man sitting across from him. It was like Zim was a totally different person. His physical appearance, the way he spoke, the way he walked and held himself, the way he dressed; this was most definitely not the alien from his childhood. What could have had happened to cause all this change?

Zim stared at him calculatingly. Dib felt like a goldfish in a bowl with the way Zim was watching him.

"So." He began awkwardly. "I thought I had fallen off the grid. How did you find me?" He asked. Zim blinked slowly before looking out into the traffic again.

"Like I said before, much has changed." He looked back at Dib, noticing the way the human was intently watching his every move. He could have smirked, but he restrained himself.

"As Irkens mature, they acquire different abilities that would be useful in battle. One of the many I gained over the years was the ability to find people based on brain wave signatures." At the shocked look that crossed Dib's face, he allowed himself a smirk.

"You weren't hard to find. I simply had to find someone who believed they were superior to most other people, with an almost unhealthy interest in anything related to the paranormal and with some possible repressed aggression and illusions of grandeur."

Dib snorted, feeling relief wash over him. If Zim was insulting him, then maybe things weren't so different… aside from Zim's ultra-articulate way of speaking.

"Is that what you think of me?" He said, taking another drink of his coffee, relishing the warm feeling that slithered into his stomach. Zim raised an eyebrow, an extremely human gesture that almost threw Dib off for a moment.

"In a way. Those were the more dominant traits you had that I could count on still being active this far down the road." Dib nodded. A small silence fell over them, during which they simply observed one another, analyzing.

"You know I still remember the first day of High School…" Dib said, breaking the silence. Zim looked at him, the same calculating expression on his face. Dib chuckled airily, shaking his head slightly.

"I was so ready to move on and get to the real stuff I needed to know. Most of all I was ready for you. I was prepared to handle whatever you were gonna throw at me." Dib then frowned slightly.

"But the first day rolled around and I didn't see you. I thought we might not have had any classes together, but freshmen lunch started and you still weren't there." The human shrugged.

"I didn't think about it too much. I was still ready the next day. And the day after that… and the day after that… and the next week." He chuckled humorlessly.

"After a month and a half I pretty much accepted the fact that you were not going to come, and that you were possibly gone for good." He glanced up. Zim still had the same cool expression on his face but something in his eyes had changed, making them more open and inviting. The alien sighed and sat further back in his chair.

"I never completed school after the middle school we attended together." He locked eyes with Dib, seemingly looking into his very soul.

"I didn't come here just for nostalgia's sake, Dib. I came to tell you the truth." Dib held his breath.

"I am not a real Invader."

Dib choked on his coffee, widening his eyes as he set the cup down.

"You're kidding right? I mean you've been after the Earth—" He stopped when Zim began shaking his head.

"The Tallest finally told me the truth behind my mission that summer before high school. I was never supposed to find this planet. The Tallest sent me out with the intent of me just floating aimlessly through space until I perished."

Dib stared openly. Zim wasn't an Invader…

"In all seriousness I am lucky to have found this place. After some calculations I figured out that, if I had arrived in this quadrant a week later, I would have missed Earth completely." Zim heaved a sigh.

"It took a little while for it to sink in." He admitted.

"It wasn't until a week later that it finally hit me. They sent me out there to banish me, with hopes of me dying. I snapped." Zim looked down into his coffee, a frown tugging at his lips.

"What do you mean?" Dib asked, almost afraid to hear the answer. Zim finished his coffee and stood, placing the money on the table.

"This is not an appropriate place for such a conversation. Come." He said, leaving the café and looking at Dib expectantly before hailing a taxi. Curiosity won Dib over so he followed the tall alien into the cab.

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A/N: I'm gonna stop here. :) Think I should continue it?


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: The first chapter was gonna be longer at first, so here's the rest of it. :)

**Word Count: **1,681

**Pairing(s): **Zim/Dib, ZaDR

**Warnings: **AU, future-verse, slash, language, themes

**Soundtrack: **_Reprobate Romance_ by WhitewidoW

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Zim, Dib, and all related belong to Jhonen Vasquez and Nickelodeon.**

**ANSWERS TO REVIEWS:**

**Dr. Tarr: **I definitely am. :D And TECHNICALLY YES, but Zim never really understood how things worked here, and even though he's this suave (dare I say it) sexy character, he still doesn't get it. XD Thanks for the review!

**Lovegirl1: **I definitely am continuing. I've got plans for this one. XD Thanks for your review!

[Z] [Z] [Z] [Z] [Z]

The pair arrived at Zim's penthouse 15 minutes later. Dib couldn't believe Zim lived in a _penthouse_. He stared around in awe. Zim removed his jacket and tie, unbuttoning the top two buttons, revealing the pale flesh beneath. He motioned for Dib to sit across from him as he sat down in a large black armchair. Dib removed his own coat, dropping it over the arm of the couch, and sat down.

"So you snapped. What happened?" Dib asked. Zim stared down at his hands in his lap before his steely eyes sought out Dib's again.

"Do you remember when the Hawaiian Islands and New Zealand sunk into the ocean?" He said, his voice as smooth as velvet. Dib felt the hairs stand up on his neck.

"That… that was you?" His voice sounded strange to his ears. Zim nodded somberly.

"Yes." Dib suppressed a shudder. Even if Zim wasn't an Invader, that incident showed that he definitely had the potential. He wondered why Zim was banished if he had power like that. Maybe that _was _why he was banished. He had been too powerful. Zim was speaking again, his fingers laced together on top of his crossed legs.

"After that was finished, I set off to find the Tallest. It wasn't hard. Their ship, the Massive, never bothers to cloak its presence from outside forces. They let me onboard with no trouble, impressed that I had managed to find them." He snorted.

"They are foolish for not hiding themselves. I've thought that from the beginning. However, in this case I was the one who was foolish." Dib listened with earnest, almost not believing what he was hearing, where he was, or who he was talking to.

"I was basically going up against the entire Irken Empire with nothing but my Voot Cruiser, my rage and my bitterness." He unbuttoned more buttons on his shirt, pulling the entire right side off his shoulder and arm. Angry raised spider web scars traced his whole right side and arm. He smiled grimly at the look of shock on Dib's face.

"Needless to say things didn't end well." He fixed his shirt, not bothering to button it back up.

"Holographic disguises can only hide so much." He sighed. Dib blinked.

"That's a hologram?" He said, his eyes traveling over Zim's body. The alien slumped in his chair, looking relaxed.

"Not all of it." Zim answered, watching Dib carefully.

"This hologram is a simple one, only hiding the physical things that I wouldn't be able to hide otherwise; things that gave me away all those years ago." He said, returning the small smile Dib flashed him.

"It hides my skin color and gives me 5 fingers, a nose and ears. Everything else is just normal cosmetics used by humans; contact lenses, a wig, human clothing." Dib drank in all the information he was being given. Never before had Zim revealed so much about himself to Dib.

"Wait what about your PAK thing?" Dib asked, noting the absence of the Irken's life support system. Zim smiled and pulled a device from his pocket.

"I managed to make it compact so I could hide it better." He held it out and it took Dib a second to realize that he was being allowed to inspect it. He took the device with shaky hands. He was literally holding Zim's life in the palm of his hand. The PAK device was warm, almost hot. It thrummed in his hands and he stared at it in wonder. Zim chuckled at the utter fascination shining in Dib's amber eyes.

"In more ways than one my technology is more advanced than anything the Irken army has currently. You could say I'm a genius." He smiled smugly as Dib handed the device back. Dib was glad to see some of Zim's old personality. As much as he liked this new Zim, you know, the one who wasn't always standing on things and screaming and threatening the Earth, he did miss the charisma.

Dib sat back on the couch, eying the tall alien.

"So how tall are your Tallest anyway?" Zim raised an eyebrow and looked thoughtful.

"Well. I'd say 6 foot 2 inches perhaps? At my current height I'm taller than them."

"And you are…?"

"6 foot 5 inches as of last week." Dib smiled inwardly. He had guessed right.

"Doesn't that make you the new Tallest?" He asked. Zim heaved a sigh.

"It would if I still resided on Irk, and if I weren't in exile." Zim said flatly. Dib nodded, forgetting that important detail.

"Well it would be pretty awesome if you were the Tallest." Dib said, running his hand through his lightning bolt hair. Zim shrugged, although Dib saw the spark in his eyes; a zealous spark that could be dangerous, but somehow it wasn't the same, and Dib realized why.

"Is there a reason you're still wearing your disguise?" Dib asked, exploring Zim's features with his eyes. Zim didn't respond at first.

"… No not really. I just haven't taken it off yet. In fact I hardly ever take it off these days."

"Why?" Dib asked, to which he received a shrug as an answer.

"No one sees me here either way. This place is my safe haven."

Dib stared at the Irken. There was something about the way Zim was talking that made sadness well up in Dib's chest. Zim had lost everything; his planet, his race, his rank, everything. Dib felt himself lean forward, looking into Zim's face.

"You don't need to hide." He said softly. Zim seemed to hesitate slightly before he cocked his head and pulled his shirt sleeve up, revealing a watch that was undeniably Irken.

He unclasped the buckle and removed it. The hologram faded, revealing his green skin and his other hidden features. He hooked his fingers under the band of his wig and tugged it off gently. His antennae lifted from his head and Dib observed how long they had gotten. When they had been flat against the alien's head, the tips had brushed his back just below his neck.

From what Dib had seen, Red and Purple's antennae weren't that long. Dib subconsciously wondered if that was significant.

When Zim finally removed his contacts, Dib felt his breath catch in his throat. Zim's scarlet eyes were no longer round and innocent-looking, but more feline in appearance; all sharp ends, lined in thick black, and so bright they almost glowed.

Zim watched as Dib for a moment before cocking his head.

"Why are you staring at me?" He asked, his voice a bit lower and smooth. Dib chuckled, a little embarrassed.

"I guess I hadn't expected you to change so much." He admitted, still taking in the regal being before him. Zim wiped some invisible lint off of his dress pants, cracking a small smile.

"Neither did I; my theory is that, due to my extended time on Earth, my DNA has altered itself to make the chemistry and biological make up similar to that of a human." He locked his ruby eyes back onto Dib, who nodded. That theory was plausible.

"How did you end up here in Chicago? I mean, why come back to Earth at all?" Dib asked cautiously. The question had been burning in his mind for some time. Zim's antennae flattened slightly. Dib had learned a long time ago that it meant the Irken was distressed or unhappy.

"I was severely injured and banished. I really had nowhere else to go. Plus had I left GIR behind." Dib suddenly noticed the robot's absence and looked around.

"If you're wondering where he is, he's not here."

Dib looked confused. If GIR wasn't with Zim, then where was he? Destroyed? Dismantled? Or worse, on the loose out in the world by himself?

"He is out buying groceries. He should be back soon." On cue, the front door clicked and opened, and to Dib's surprise a small boy with shaggy brown hair and neon blue eyes walked in, two bags of groceries under his arms. He blinked twice, not only at the sight of Zim without his disguise but at the visitor.

"Mast— I mean dad, who is that?" The boy asked, setting the groceries down. Zim returned his attention to Dib.

"Gabe, my son." Zim explained GIR's disguise. He looked at the robot.

"You remember Dib don't you GIR." He motioned to the human across from him. GIR's eyes lit up with recognition (literally) and he let out a high-pitched squeal. He took his watch off, revealing the small silver robot.

"Big-headed boy!" He screamed. Dib flinched at the robot's volume but smiled nonetheless.

"GIR. Go put the groceries away. You may come back when you're finished." Zim said. GIR had ceased jumping around immediately at the sound of his master's voice. He smiled and nodded, grabbing the bags and taking them to the kitchen. Dib stared after him, amazed.

"I finally fixed his programming errors. I left most of his personality intact, but there are a few things I altered, like his level of obedience, his ability to act appropriately in public, and his disguise. He now has the personality of the typical happy 9 year old human he's supposed to be." Zim said, smiling. Dib laughed.

"This whole experience is so surreal. We're acting civil towards each other, GIR is behaving, and you're not threatening the Earth or my personal well-being." Zim chuckled at that.

"It's, I dunno," Dib continued, scratching his head. "Not weird. Just different." He wasn't quite sure of how he wanted to put it. Zim's antennae lifted slightly, hopeful-looking.

"Is different good in this case?" He asked, the caution evident in his voice. Dib raised an eyebrow as he thought.

"Yea I guess it is." Zim finally grinned, showing off his mouth full of too many teeth. Dib chuckled.

A month ago, he had hardly ever thought of Zim, and yet here he was, sitting in Zim's penthouse apartment in Chicago, talking about their past.

Like Zim said, much had changed.

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A/N: Here's chapter two. :D Hope you liked it!


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Chapter three has been completed. PRAISE ME PRAISE MEEEE!

Ahem, anyways…

**Review Replies (so many! :O ) :**

**Zexen Xhaos: **Thanks for your review!

**MANIC-DEMON: **I wanted to try my own thing with Dib and Zim so I made them waaay older. I'm glad you liked my take on them. I promise to sneak some of their old personalities in here every once and a while. ;)

**Bishihuntress: **I figured since Zim is older, GIR being his little brother wouldn't make as much sense, so I made him his son. :) I'm glad you liked it.

8DD I would be honored if you drew me art!~

**Secret-Modsoul-A.K.A.-TTfanTT: **Thanks for reviewing!

**Dr. Tarr: **I'm glad you like Zim. :D I'm rather a fan of older Zim m'self.

YOU SPEAK GERMAN!~ :DD

I hate giving things away but I can almost promise you that Zim isn't going to become the new Tallest or whatever. He's pretty much stuck on Earth. :P

**Give Into the Feeling: **Thanks for your review!

**Cheeto-ScorpioDimagram: **Thanks for reviewing!

**LordxXxofxXxDorkness: **NOT MY HEAD LADY! D:

I love fanarts. YESPLEASE!

XD Wow epic win at reading things wrong. Oh and thank god for not wanting to jump anyone's bones this time around.

**Word Count: **1,385

**Pairing(s): **Zim/Dib, ZaDR

**Warnings: **AU, future-verse, slash, language, themes

**Soundtrack: **_Walk This Way _by Aerosmith (with RUN-DMC)

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Zim, Dib, and all related belong to Jhonen Vasquez and Nickelodeon.**

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GIR had rejoined Zim and Dib in the living room after he had finished with the groceries, and was rolling about on the plush carpeted floor.

"I've told you my story Dib, now it's time for yours." Zim said, grabbing Dib's attention from the robot on the floor. The human ran his hand thru his black hair, sighing.

"Where do I begin?"

"High school. Start there." Zim suggested. Dib was shocked that Zim was actually taking interest in him, but he pushed the shock aside for the moment.

"Well. Nothing really changed from Skool. People still avoided me for the most part. There was the occasional hate letter shoved into my locker or spitballs shot at me in class. Nothing serious ever happened." He smiled but Zim quirked an antenna at him.

"What about the scar on the right side of your head, just below your temple? That wasn't there in Skool." Zim said smoothly, eying the indicated spot. Dib's eyes widened and his fingers ran over the smooth scar. Damn Zim was observant.

"I may or may not have had a small run-in with some football players and some stairs after school." He admitted sheepishly. Zim's eyes narrowed slightly and his antennae lifted into a semi-irritated position. A short silence followed.

"I see." The Irken finally said, his tense posture relaxing once more. Dib took a small breath and continued.

"I graduated number three in my class and with the highest of honors. Dad actually found time to come to my graduation in person, even if it was only for the short time I walked across the stage. Gaz went too but she mostly played her GameSlave. She did clap for me though." He smiled thinly.

"You'd think I'd go off to college and make a great career for myself… but that's not how it happened." Dib trailed off and Zim said nothing, silently prompting him to continue. Dib sat forward, putting his elbows on his knees.

"I decided not to tell Dad what I was majoring in, because I knew he wouldn't approve. I mean, I actually didn't choose the Paranormal Research and Defense degree, because at that point I had pretty much given up on my paranormal obsession." Zim's antennae lifted at the word 'obsession', intrigued. That word sounded wrong almost, simply because Dib had always insisted that the paranormal was his 'hobby'.

"What did you major in?" Zim asked.

"English Literature. I figured if I couldn't interact with the paranormal I could at least write about it, right? My plan was flawless; make it through school without Dad knowing my major and graduate. I overlooked one important thing though; Dad was the one paying for my tuition. When he found out that I didn't have a science as my major, he was furious."

GIR came in from the kitchen with two drinks; an Irken soda for Zim and a normal soda for Dib. The pair said their thanks and the robot skipped back out of the room, singing some unknown song. When Zim set his scarlet eyes on Dib again, the human continued.

"He refused to pay my tuition. I didn't have a job at the time so I couldn't pay for it either. We had an argument and he tried to make me change my major. When I said no, he told me I had a week to pack my belongings and get out of his house. 'You're no son of mine if you refuse to study science.' he said." Dib said, his deeper voice making him sound almost exactly like the Professor.

"I went to Gretchen's house for a little while. Her parents were glad to have me. They had always liked me. Gaz called me a little after I left but it was only to cuss me out. She was pissed at me, not because of my choice in major, but because I gave up. I quit on my dream of being a paranormal investigator." Dib hung his head.

"I haven't spoken to either of them since. I mean I send Gaz an annual birthday card and I send a Christmas card, but that's the extent of our communications with each other." He rubbed the back of his neck and looked at Zim. The alien was peering at him with something akin to curiosity.

"Is it that they don't want to talk to you or that you don't want to talk to them?" He said. Dib shrugged.

"I don't even know anymore, nor do I care. I finished college eventually and got my degree. I haven't been able to do anything with it, of course. That's why I'm an office worker."

Throughout Dib's entire story, Zim's posture had hardly changed. Other than the slight raising or lowering of his antennae, Zim had remained motionless, with his legs crossed and his intertwined fingers in his lap. Dib had often caught himself simply staring in amazement at the mature creature Zim had miraculously become. Dib could even go as far as to call him elegant.

The Irken still hadn't spoken so Dib looked around.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Yes." Zim replied. Dib almost chuckled at how much he still sounded like his younger self when he spoke like that.

"This penthouse. Those clothes. How did you pay for all of it? What do you do for work?" Zim's response wasn't exactly what he expected. The alien looked away for a moment before setting his eyes back on Dib.

"It's… complicated. A cliché answer, yes, but an answer all the same. Perhaps I will tell you later." Zim stood up, towering over Dib, signifying that the conversation was over for now.

Dib furrowed his brow. That sounded sketchy, but he wasn't going to push it. He followed Zim to the door, putting on his jacket before stepping outside. Zim stayed inside due to his lack of disguise. His eyes glowed in the darkness of the doorway.

"It was good to see you, Dib." He said, his impossible-to-place accent making the human's name sound almost exotic. Dib smiled.

"Good to see you, too." Zim shut the door and Dib retreated to the elevator, smiling the entire trip down. Why, he didn't know, but he was glad to have something to smile about, even if it was because of a (formerly) psychotic alien from his past.

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Every day for the rest of the week, Zim came to Dib's office building during his lunch hour. They ate at the little café across the street, sometimes having existential discussions, other times eating in silence and just listening to the sounds of downtown Chicago.

On Friday, they went to Zim's apartment after Dib got off work and had a soda. Dib was surprised at how natural it felt to be sitting on Zim's couch, soda in hand, listening to Zim recount his days among the stars.

Zim even read from an Irken text for him. Irken sounded similar to Russian, but with a throaty almost German-sounding undertone. Dib could see where Zim's slight accent came from now.

And thus this became the routine; lunch together Monday through Friday and soda at Zim's apartment Friday evenings. Sometimes they went to Dib's apartment, but since it was two trains away, they mostly stuck to Zim's home.

This simple routine went on for about two months. Everything was running smoothly until one day Zim didn't show up for lunch. Dib checked his phone but found no messages from Zim. He ate lunch alone but resolved to go to Zim's apartment after work.

The long elevator ride upstairs gave Dib some time to think. He and Zim had grown closer over the months. They could read each other easily, and sometimes they knew each other better than they knew themselves. Dib knew what almost every quirk of Zim's antennae meant. He could tell what each expression meant and sometimes he could even tell what he was thinking.

He reached the door of Zim's penthouse, and after knocking and getting no answer, he used the key Zim had given him and walked into the darkness.

"Zim?" He called softly. He spotted the Irken's hunched form in his favorite armchair so he approached slowly.

"Zim?" He asked warily. The alien lifted his head and Dib froze.

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A/N: Woo hoo! The first cliff hanger. Oh god **LordxXxofxXxDorkness** is gonna shoot me. XDD LOVE YOU DORKY!


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: You all requested a speedy update so here you are. :D FEEL HONORED!

**Review Replies:**

**MANIC-DEMON: **D: I've caused you unhappiness! Think of this chapter as my apology. XD

**Cheeto-ScorpioDimagram: **Indeed not. ;)

**Dr. Tarr: **BAH. Dib-thing is USELESS. I joke. XP

**LordxXxofxXxDorkness: **THIS IS NOT SO. 'Thru' is a real word. :P

I KNOW. I knew you'd wanna shoot me. XD Although I'm glad you loved it. SO HERE HAVE SOME MORE ZADR! -throws at you-

**Lena7213: **Welcome, newcomer to my story. XD I'm glad you like it so far. :D I really thought hard about their pasts. Glad they worked out.

**Give Into the Feeling: **Haha I'm so sorry! XD I hate cliff hangers m'self but I use them all the time. I'm such a hypocrite. -shame-

**HiddenShadows798: **D: Don't die! You just got here. XD Welcome and thanks for the review.

**Word Count: **1,186

**Pairing(s): **Zim/Dib, ZaDR

**Warnings: **AU, future-verse, slash, language, themes

**Soundtrack: **_Rise Today _by Alter Bridge

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Zim, Dib, and all related belong to Jhonen Vasquez and Nickelodeon.**

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Dib would have taken a step back if it weren't for the fact that he was frozen in place. Zim's eyes were fading back and forth between the usual scarlet and an angry shade of red. When the alien finally blinked, it was lazy and slow, almost uncoordinated. Dib looked at him worriedly.

"Are you alright?" He received nothing but a grunt in response. He approached the chair slowly, watching Zim closely. The Irken did nothing but stare at the floor. Slowly Dib reached out and put the back of his hand to Zim's forehead. His usually cool skin was on fire and he was breathing hard. Dib swallowed nervously.

"Are you… high?" He asked. Zim's eyes snapped up and before Dib could react, he found himself pinned to the wall with Zim's hands gripping his shoulders almost painfully. He stared deep into the shifting depths of Zim's eyes and saw more pain and sadness than he thought possible.

"Do you know… what it's like to be defective, Dib?" Zim asked, his voice breathless. For a moment, his eyes rolled back in his head before he attempted to refocus his eyes on Dib's worried face.

"Not just in words but completely… utterly… genetically… defective." He asked. Dib shook his head. No. He didn't know.

"Of course you don't. Your race doesn't work like that." Zim hissed. His voice became angry.

"You don't know what it's like to have your entire race think you're a joke, to have your Leaders disown and scar you, to have everything stripped away and taken from you. You. Have. No. _FUCKING_. Clue." Dib flinched at Zim's use of profanity. That was new. He had never heard the Irken curse before. The word was unusually powerful coming from Zim's mouth.

"I have nothing. This dirtball of a planet is all I have left; this pathetic place, GIR and you. I am in exile and will be in exile for the rest of my unnatural life. It is meaningless whether I'm taller than Red and Purple now; I am never allowed back on Irk, meaning I can't see the Control Brain to be received as the new Tallest, meaning the fact is irrelevant."

Dib listened to Zim's ranting in shocked silence. When he had come here, he had expected the alien to be sick or something, not high off his ass. That alone was suspicious, but all this pent up rage wasn't expected. Dib had grown accustomed to Zim being cool and collected the past few months, which was a mistake. Zim had always had a truly nasty temper, and it was now making itself known once more.

For a moment Zim glared at Dib, breathing hard and having a hard time keeping his eyes focused. This human pissed him off. He thought he had it hard? He still had a planet, a race, a _purpose_, as small as it was. He couldn't possibly hope to understand—

Zim's eyes refocused and he saw the look Dib was giving him; shock mixed with confusion and maybe a little fear. He swallowed thickly and took a deep breath, trying to calm down. He shouldn't take his frustrations out on Dib. It wasn't his fault. The drugs pumping through his veins weren't exactly helping him keep his cool either. He took another breath before speaking.

"You asked me once what I did for work. Given my current condition I feel it's a good time to tell you." Dib waited tensely, not sure he wanted to know anymore.

"To sum things up, I am the Head of the Underground Trade and Protection Agency of Chicago."

It took a couple seconds for Dib to translate that into modern vernacular.

"So, what, you're a Mob Boss or something?" Dib almost smiled, but managed to resist the urge. Zim sighed. His breath on Dib's face smelled like mint and chocolate, and it made Dib acutely aware of just how close Zim was to him.

"If that's how you want to put it." Zim's eyes had stopped shifting colors and he was able to focus on Dib's face now. His high was slowly crashing. Despite the fact that he was calming down, he didn't release his grip on Dib's shoulders; only loosened it a little. Dib shifted his weight uneasily.

"So if you're the boss, how'd this happen? Aren't you supposed to stay out of harm's way? Or are you that kind of boss that likes to be in on the action?" Dib said speaking of Zim's influenced state.

"A negotiation went sour this morning. One of the bastards caught me in the arm with a needle. Don't know what was in it." Zim shrugged nonchalantly, as if he had just gotten a paper cut. Dib gawked.

"Don't make it seem like it's not a big deal! You could have been given something deadly. You could have died." Dib insisted. Zim snorted and smirked at him. Dib felt a small blush rise in his cheeks. That last bit had slipped out accidently.

"You almost sound concerned about me." Zim drawled, his speech a little impaired due to the drugs still in his system. He finally released Dib's shoulder but made no move to step away. He cocked his head, staring at Dib, making the man shift nervously again.

"Have you ever considered getting a tattoo, Dib?" He asked, one eye narrowing slightly. Dib raised an eyebrow at the random question and shook his head.

"Not really, no." Zim stepped back into his personal space and ran a slim finger down the side of the human's throat, making Dib jump at the gentle caress.

"You should get one. Right here." Zim purred. To Dib's own surprise, he didn't flinch away from the cool finger touching his neck. He actually rather liked the feeling.

"Let's say hypothetically I get a tattoo… what would it be?" He said softly, staring at Zim with a tiny smile. Zim cocked his head to the other side, looking at Dib once more.

"Oh, I don't know. Perhaps a Z…" He traced it gently on Dib's skin. "Then an I… maybe an M…" He traced the letters vertically down the human's neck with his fingertip, sending goose bumps in every direction across Dib's skin. The man chuckled.

"And why would I get your name permanently inscribed on my neck?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. Zim's eyes bored into his skull.

"So you will remember who you belong to always." Zim said so seriously that Dib bit his tongue against the laugh that threatened to burst from his mouth.

"Who I belong to?" Dib said, chuckling nervously. "You're still high."

Zim's eyes narrowed completely and all at once he stepped away, shattering the entrancing atmosphere.

"Oh I am, am I. Fine. Give me a half hour to neutralize the drugs in my system and you will see my reason won't change." With that said Zim turned around and with a little stagger stalked to his bedroom, slamming the door behind him. Dib flinched against the noise and, with a sigh, seated himself on the couch to await Zim's return.

[Z] [Z] [Z] [Z] [Z]

A/N: Not quite a cliff hanger but still you guys are gonna have to wait to find out what happens. I considered just shoving everything into this one chapter but then I changed my mind. :) I have to have something to do at work tomorrow. ;D


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Wow this is the fastest I've ever updated in my life. Three chapters in three days? That's a damn record if I do say so myself. :D

**Review Replies (Jesus Christ Lord and Savior SO MANY REVIEWS ASDHJKLF):**

**LordxXxofxXxDorkness: **AWRIGHT FOR HAVIN' BABIES! XDD Lawlz. THRU IS TOO A WORD DAMMIT!

Bro. If a psychotic alien had me slammed against a wall, I sure as hell would be worried about my life… or my virginity (if I had it XDD)

If you wanna add a leash and collar go for it. XD BONDAGE FTW!

HERE HAVE ANOTHER CHAPTER!

**MANIC-DEMON: **Nah pot is too… predictable I guess. But his getting high wasn't intentional so it wouldn't have worked anyway.

Here's another chapter. BE MY MINION! –burns the ZG emblem into your forehead- XD

**Give Into the Feeling: **I'm glad you stayed awake too! :D Zim is possessive, yes. This comes into serious play later in our story. :3

**Lovegirl1: **Alcohol is so cliché and I needed something that would allow me to put Zim in the line of work I had in mind. I also didn't want him to be an addict or something, so it had to be something that could be taken accidentally. :)

**Dr. Tarr: **Oh god I should do that. XD

**Lena7213: **Haha he totally would do that!

Yes. I figured Zim would have a scent that most humans would find appealing. I think of it as a way to further his mission, exile or not. ;D

Zim doesn't love Dib at this point. He just wants to lay claim to what he believes is his. Fufufu we'll see if Dib actually does it. ;3

**Secret-Modsoul-A.K.A.-TTfanTT: **WHY MUST YOUR USER NAME BE SO DAMN LONG! XDD

Oh god Hey Arnold. Good times! XD Yes it has potential. We shall see.

**LollerpopOfEvil: **I'm glad you like it. WELCOME. :D

I am a total grammar/spelling/punctuation Nazi. I can't finish reading a story if any of it is atrocious. I'm also a fan of huge words that oftentimes people have to look up, but I try not to use them too much. X3

**HiddenShadows798: **Yes. He's not very popular in his line of work. Infamous would be the correct word I think. :3

**Word Count: **1,051

**Pairing(s): **Zim/Dib, ZaDR

**Warnings: **AU, future-verse, slash, language, themes

**Soundtrack: **_Yours to Hold _by Skillet; _Comatose _by Skillet

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Zim, Dib, and all related belong to Jhonen Vasquez and Nickelodeon.**

[Z] [Z] [Z] [Z] [Z]

Dib was jerked from his nap by the sound of his phone buzzing. He rubbed his eyes groggily and groped around for his glasses, finding them on the floor. Taking a bracing breath, he stood and walked down the hall to Zim's bedroom, knocking twice before opening the door. He stopped just inside the doorway.

Zim was awake and looking at him, his eyes glowing softly like embers in the dim room. Nothing about that was out of the ordinary… except maybe the part where Zim was sitting with his back against the headboard of his bed, long legs stretched out in front of him… shirtless. Dib couldn't turn his gaze away.

Zim wasn't ultra skinny like he used to be. He was all toned lean muscle now. Dib hadn't gotten the chance to really see it because every time he saw Zim, the Irken had been in some sort of business suit. Of course, now that he was wearing nothing but his lounge pants, Dib could see everything, from his lithe chest to his toned abs, right down to his strange feet; two toes and a claw for a heel.

Zim watched as the human stared at him. Truly he was amazing to have triggered such a reaction as this.

"If you're expecting a different answer from me, you're wrong." Zim's voice had an icy cold edge to it. Dib flinched. Zim was still angry. The human stood awkwardly in the doorway until Zim beckoned him forward with a twitch of his antenna. He approached the bedside. Zim didn't move.

"What I said to you wasn't due to influence from drugs, Dib-thing." The mild insult stung, and Dib heard the words leave his mouth before he could stop them.

"What you said to me made no sense."

He felt his wrists being grabbed and for the second time that day, Zim had him pinned to the wall. The Irken's expression was more irritated than angry, so Dib spoke.

"I don't belong to anyone. I'm your friend, Zim, not your slave."

Zim's eyes narrowed. Dib had the audacity to say such a thing?...

Dib gasped as Zim grabbed his waist and threw him on the bed. Before Dib even had the chance to try and sit back up, Zim was kneeling between his legs and holding his wrists above his head, glaring down at him.

Dib didn't try to get Zim off or struggle. He didn't feel threatened in any way; although maybe this was proof that all those years of Judo lessons were useless. He felt a little shocked maybe but he didn't feel the need to get away.

"Your statement is false." Zim hissed at him. "You belong to your superiors at work because they pay your salary. You belong to your boss because your superiors, to whom you belong, belong to him. And you," he leaned closer. "Belong to me because you said it yourself."

Dib inhaled, smelling minty chocolate before raising an eyebrow defiantly.

"What proof do you have?"

"You don't remember?" A smirk spread across Zim's face. The human's eyes widened when Zim's mouth opened and _Dib's_ voice came out.

"You can't hide forever Zim. And if you can, then I'll wait forever. I've been preparing for this all my life."

Did remembered. Had had pursued Zim all the way home that first day of Skool. He found himself at a loss for words so Zim continued.

"You essentially pledged your life and soul to me that day. Can you deny it?"

Dib couldn't.

"You are mine, Dib." Zim's voice dropped an octave, making his already low voice even lower. "You always have been." Dib gasped when he felt a hot tongue slither across his neck. He struggled against the hands that held his wrists, and he heard Zim chuckle against his throat.

"Now you want to get away?" Zim said, sitting back and looking down at the human. A blush had finally spilled across Dib's face as he glared half-heartedly at Zim.

"Lemme go." He slurred, jerking his wrists again. Zim's grip tightened and he leaned forward again, the smirk still in place on his face.

"I didn't hear a please." He purred. Dib snorted and turned his head away.

"I ain't gotta say please, Spaceboy." Zim quirked an antenna. Dib had an accent? Strange. He didn't usually have one. Zim smiled wide, showing teeth and bit Dib firmly on the neck. The human arched unintentionally and gave a small gasp.

"Zim…" Dib said, uncertainty coloring his voice. Zim ignored him, placing an open-mouthed kiss over the bite marks he had left. He shifted forward, and Dib's legs ended up on either side of his slim hips. Dib quickly felt the situation spiraling out of control.

"Zim… no." He panted. Zim's serpentine tongue was distracting.

"Stop, Zim."

Zim paused and sat back, looking down at Dib in confusion. Dib looked conflicted when he finally made eye contact.

"Not… not like this…"

Zim's confusion increased.

"What do you mean 'not like this'?" He said, cocking his head. Dib sighed.

"I… I don't know what to think about you acting like this… it's different." Zim frowned.

"You said different was good in this case." Dib looked exasperated.

"Yes, it is. But it's not good when you just randomly hold me down and molest me." Zim actually looked offended. Dib marveled at how fast Zim's expressions changed.

"Is that what I was doing?" He said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. He released Dib's wrists and scooted away, frowning and suddenly looking extremely childish. Dib sat up, running his fingers through his hair.

"Okay I'm sorry. That… could have been phrased better." He sighed when all of Zim's childishness disappeared and the icy cold seeped back into the room. He got off the bed, walked to the door and paused. He smiled to himself and walked back over to the sulking alien, pecking him on the forehead. Zim blinked, his antenna twitching.

"Just give me time to think. See you at lunch tomorrow." It wasn't a question. It was a statement. Dib turned to leave.

"Oh and Zim?" The Irken looked up at him, blank expression plastered on his face. Dib gave him a warm smile.

"I'm glad you're okay." He said softly. Zim finally relented and smiled back.

[Z] [Z] [Z] [Z] [Z]

A/N: Whew that's all done. :3 Zim jumped the gun a little bit, but that's alright! :D He's got motivation! XD

Review my minions and I shall reward you with… something. I don't know yet… probably GIR making breakfast for Zim or something. XP


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: SOOOOOO this is obviously a late update and I do apologize. I'm a fandom whore and apparently I've been "sleeping around" a lot lately. -is shot-

I'm not gonna reply to reviews anymore. I would normally give you some lame excuse but honestly, it just takes too long and I'm lazy. XP

**Word Count: **1,090

**Pairing(s): **Zim/Dib, ZaDR

**Warnings: **AU, future-verse, slash, language, themes

**Soundtrack: **_Poker Face _by Lady Gaga; _Monster _by Lady Gaga

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Zim, Dib, and all related belong to Jhonen Vasquez and Nickelodeon.**

o-o-o-o-o

The human and the Irken quickly fell back into their normal routine. Neither of them spoke about what had happened that strange day, choosing instead to act like it never happened. Dib couldn't stop himself from thinking about it sometimes, and he could have sworn that Zim looked at him differently now, but he would never say anything out loud.

Zim on the other hand didn't bother to stop himself from thinking. Dib just didn't get it. With a proclamation like the one he made, as per Irken rules, he _belonged _to Zim… but then again Dib wasn't an Irken.

That fact alone was infuriating enough. If Zim were still a part of the Empire, he would be thoroughly punished for wanting to take a native as his mate. Zim's lips curled into a sneer.

But he wasn't part of the Empire anymore… was he.

Dib must have noticed his change in expression because he set down the sandwich he had been eating and raised an eyebrow.

"Something wrong?"

Zim rearranged his features carefully, putting on a neutral expression.

"Of course not. I was just thinking." He said smoothly, locking gazes with Dib. Staring contests were a regular thing for them now. It was almost as if they were trying to look into the other person's soul. Dib looked like he wanted to push further but decided to just let it go for the moment.

For months they tiptoed around the issue, avoiding it like the plague. They were both waiting for the other person to approach it, which was a paradox in its own respect. Whereas Dib was slowly forgetting about it, Zim was slowly getting more annoyed. He _wanted _to talk about it. He _wanted _to get it resolved. He wanted Dib to know everything.

Well, maybe not everything. Just the little things that mattered, like how Zim intended to make Dib his mate one way or the other (the other way being that he brainwashed him and rebuilt his brain from the inside out), and how Zim still intended to rule the planet, but he didn't want to destroy it. He had grown quite fond of it actually.

Zim didn't feel that ruling the world would be worth it if Dib wasn't at his side, in his proper place as his mate.

And he was just about at the end of his rope with keeping it a secret.

"Dib."

Dib looked up from the book he was reading, arching an eyebrow. They were at Zim's house as usual on a Friday night, relaxing and listening to music on Dib's laptop. Dib was trying to get Zim to listen to better music. Let's face it; not everyone enjoys classical and opera. Dib was one of those people who just happened to hate opera. Zim seemed to like it. Maybe a little more than what was healthy.

"I want to talk to you about something." Zim said slowly. He looked rather intimidating sitting in his large red arm chair in his dress pants and shirt. The low light in the room made it easy to see the glow in his eyes. His antennae were pressed back against his head, clearly showing that he was irritated.

Dib shut off the music and put his book down, giving Zim his full attention. The Irken folded his fingers together before speaking.

"We can't keep avoiding this."

Dib chose to play stupid.

"Avoiding what?"

It was the wrong idea. Zim hissed low, a sound of warning.

"Oh. That." Dib amended, looking sheepish. Truth be told even though he knew what Zim was talking about, he had all but pretty much forgotten about it up until now.

He took his glasses off and ran his hand over his face, suddenly feeling very tired.

"And what made you think of it right now?" Dib asked, already knowing that Zim hadn't stopped thinking about it since it happened.

Zim blinked slowly, his cat-like eyes seeming even more so in the dark room.

"I've been thinking about it a lot lately. We need to discuss it."

"Right now?" Dib sighed.

"Yes right now." Zim snapped. Dib immediately decided that arguing with the alien wasn't the best course of action at the moment, so he sat back further against the couch and put his glasses back on, indicating for Zim to talk. The Irken sighed, quirking his antennae slightly.

"Your evasive-avoidance maneuvers won't work forever, Dib. All the evidence you need is right in front of you. Irken law states—"

Dib held up his hand, stopping Zim mid-sentence.

"Let me stop you there. First of all, I'm not an Irken, so I don't think you can apply those laws to me. Second of all, if you're not part of the Empire anymore, why follow their rules? Why give them the silent satisfaction of knowing that you are still loyal to them even in exile?"

Fate didn't seem to like Dib today because Zim looked angry once again, leaving the chair and moving to stand in front of him.

"My PAC is programmed to follow Irken rules even if I am banished. It's not my decision to make. I don't follow the laws because I want to; I follow them because I _have _to, Dib."

Dib realized that Zim wasn't entirely angry at him, but angry at the Empire for what they did to him.

That didn't really change the fact that Zim was indeed angry at the moment. Dib would once again have to amend the situation so that nothing got broken and no one got hurt, including him.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking about that. Regardless of that fact however," he wished he could just shut himself up for two seconds. "I do not belong to you and quite honestly I never will. I am my own person and I won't be a slave."

He jumped when Zim lunged forward, getting inches from his face and baring his zipper teeth.

"You just don't get it, do you Dib." He snarled.

Before Dib could answer him there was a knock at the door. Zim froze, his antennae flattening on his skull. He put his hand over Dib's mouth and put a finger to his lips, telling Dib he should be silent. The Irken pressed a button on his watch and donned his disguise, looking human once more. Moving like a cat, Zim padded over to the door and looked through the peek hole.

Seconds later, he dove out of the way as the door was kicked in.

o-o-o-o-o

A/N: Excuses? I have none. This is just a really late update because the words just didn't want to come and I do apologize for that. :/

Don't hate me!


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: HOLY CRAP WHAT HAPPENED TO ME?

So this was originally going to be the last chapter, but I feel like this story is going to end in a boring way if I stop here so I'm going to continue it! Shit gon' get real. Thank you so much to the people who have stayed with me until this point. ;A;

Also, as an extra note, Dib is currently 33 years old (the last time he saw Zim, they were both about 15 since that was how old I was in 8th grade). Zim is the Irken equivalent of 34 (or something close to it). You'll find out why it's important later. :)

**Word Count: **

**Pairing(s): **Zim/Dib, ZaDR

**Warnings: **AU, future-verse, slash, language, themes

**Soundtrack: **_Make Me Bad _by KoRn; _Living on a Prayer _by Bon Jovi; _End of Line _by Daft Punk; _Seven Nation Army Remix _by The Glitch Mob (originally by the White Stripes)

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Zim, Dib, and all related belong to Jhonen Vasquez and Nickelodeon.**

[Z][Z][Z][Z][Z]

The door landed on the ground with a dull thud and four men dressed in all black strolled inside the apartment. Zim stepped in front of them, blocking further entry to his home and to Dib, glare fitted firmly on his slender face.

"What is the meaning of this?" He demanded, his whole stance screaming 'defense mode', like when he was younger and would square his shoulders and face Dib head-on, fists balled at his side, his teeth bared. This was just a more elegant way of doing it. Dib sat in silence on the couch, expression unreadable. Whoever these men were, they were obviously not Zim's friends and that meant they weren't Dib's friends either. It has impossible to tell what Zim was thinking since he had his disguise on so Dib shifted uncomfortably.

One of the men noticed and looked at him, chewing his gum obscenely.

"Who's this, Zayn? A friend of yours?"

Dib almost reacted to the use of the different name but quickly stopped when Zim snorted.

"None of your business, Mika." Zim hissed out, still managing to sound thousands of levels above them all without sounding arrogant. While his brow was furrowed, his mouth was a grim line, not a frown, making him look more irritated than anything. Dib envied his skills in arranging his face how he wished.

One of the bigger men chuckled, a toothpick between his teeth. His shaved head had a spider web tattoo around the crown with a black widow on the end of a thread down the side of his neck. From what Dib could tell, the tattoos on his knuckles spelled 'knockout' when they lined up. He removed the toothpick and rolled it between his fingers.

"No need to be testy, Zayn. We're here to see how the business has been treating you." He said, his husky voice sounding like he had been smoking three packs of cigarettes a day since he was twelve. Dib hated him immediately and let him know by glaring at him when he smiled, his yellow teeth completely off-putting.

"And why would you want to know that?" Zim's voice was smooth, deceiving. His calm mask was back in place. His hands were in his pockets, his stance back to normal, slightly turned, left shoulder in the lead, heels an even distance apart; he was the very picture of control and poise. These guys were obviously used to seeing him like this because they didn't even seem unnerved in the least.

"Oh, no reason. Just curious. Because you know, we're close, almost family, you and I." Spider Man said, smiling and daring to take a step forward. He quickly halted when Zim's hands left his pockets, resting at his sides.

"You and I are nothing of the sort, Kiri." Zim said flatly, his eyebrow lifting just enough to be noticed. Kiri shrugged and replaced his toothpick.

"If that's how you really feel." He said, not finishing his sentence and leaving it hanging. Dib dared to stand, still hiding halfway behind Zim but still making himself visible to the new occupants of the room. He saw Kiri's eyes flicker to him, look him from head to toe and then stop on his face.

"And who might you be?"

Dib squared his shoulders, looking mildly amused.

"I think Zayn already answered that question. None of your business, Spider Man."

Dib smirked when he saw Kiri tense up, clearly offended. The corner of Zim's mouth twitched up but he otherwise maintained a perfect poker face. Dib knew he was playing a dangerous game seeing as he didn't know these guys, didn't know what they were capable of, so he should have just kept his mouth shut. Standing behind Zim however made him feel stronger. 'Untouchable' was the best word to describe the feeling, and Dib loved it.

"You sassing me?" Kiri bit out, glaring. Dib shrugged, sticking his hands in his pockets, smile still on his face.

"Does it seem like I am?" He said in a falsely innocent voice. Kiri took a step forward but once again halted when Zim moved forward to face him head on.

"Don't." Zim's voice was deadly quiet again. The stocky man looked confused for a moment before he smiled, showing his disgusting yellow teeth.

"Aww, does Zayn got a boyfwend?"

Zim's lip finally curled into a mocking sneer.

"Please Kiri, refrain from speaking. There are more than enough stupid people in this world. Must you add to the statistic?" He drawled. Dib snorted and clapped a hand over his mouth to stifle a laugh. Kiri finally snapped and grabbed Zim by the collar with both hands, getting well into his personal space.

"You want a fist in the mouth?" Kiri snarled. Zim continued to have no readable expression. Dib could even go as far to say that he looked _bored._

"If you want to lose that hand then go ahead. I'll bite it right off at the wrist. Just make sure it's not the one you're currently dating."

Dib's eyebrows shot up into his forehead. Did Zim just make a sexual jab? The alien was so different sometimes it scared him. Kiri stared at the taller man for a moment before laughing and letting him go. Zim's lip curled in disgust as he readjusted his collar from where Kiri had gripped it.

"You're one weird sonuvabitch, Zayn." Kiri said, eying him carefully, like he was bold enough to laugh but he didn't doubt for one minute that Zim wouldn't do it. A very tense silence fell over the room, during which the two on the one side stared at the other four on the opposite side of the room. When Zim finally spoke, it was dripping with poison masquerading as honey.

"I'd rather not make a mess of my apartment. What do you say we take this outside boys?"

Kiri nodded and left the room, his lackeys following him out. Zim went to the closet and pulled out a jacket Dib had never seen before. It was long and red with a split tail, like a military coat. The zipper only covered the alien's torso, leaving the bottom wide open to flare like wings. It had very thin black stripes on it, making it look hauntingly familiar. A high collar and the Irken symbol brooch validated Dib's thoughts. It was definitely an Irken military jacket. Dib decided he would have to ask Zim where he got it from later.

The Irken in question turned and looked at him, zipping up the jacket and snapping the brooch shut, looking ten times more intimidating than before. For a moment his eyes flashed red behind his contacts, snatching Dib's attention away from his coat.

"Stay here. This won't take very long." He said in a whisper. He turned to go but Dib caught his elbow, raising a sarcastic eyebrow at him.

"I'll be damned if I let you go out there with those guys by yourself." He stated seriously. Zim actually cracked a smile and removed Dib's hand gently.

"I'm more capable than you can even imagine. I'll only be a minute, then we'll return to our previous conversation."

Dib swallowed the lump in his throat as he watched Zim sweep out of the room, his coat tails flying. He was not in a hurry to start talking again. Zim had been furious and if there was one thing Dib knew best, it was that when Zim was angry, it was best to just keep your distance. Unless of course you happened to be the one who made him mad and it was then your responsibility to get him back into a better mood.

Dib squared his shoulders. No matter what Zim said, Dib wasn't going to let him go and 'talk' with Kiri and his gang alone. That just had 'bad idea' written all over it, so he waited until he was sure was too far ahead for him to notice Dib following him before stepping outside, looking both ways down the hallway, and then briskly following the red coat down the hall.

Zim followed Kiri and his men to the large lot out behind the apartment complex. It was really an old playground layout, a big concrete square (think the fight from _Matrix Reloaded_ when Neo fought the Infinite Agent Smith Clones). Only this place had nothing but weeds and concrete, hidden by the surrounding buildings, making the whole area shadowy. Dib took advantage of this and hid just out of sight, off to the side so he could see all five men but not be seen himself.

Kiri and his men were standing in a line in front of Zim with Kiri slightly ahead of the others. The whole situation looked very much like a standoff, which if you thought about it, was exactly what was happening.

"It was your man who got me with that needle all those months ago, wasn't it." Zim spoke softly, his tone sounding like velvet. It was so familiar to Dib that it almost startled him to hear it. Just like the good old days when Dib would actually be surprised by what came out of Zim's mouth every now and again. The power that had been hidden in that tone was amazing at best. Hearing it now, in this new lower octave was even more so. Despite all this however, Dib could still hear the irritation in his voice and for some reason that tainted it, made it less pure to Dib's ears.

"Maybe it was, maybe it wasn't. Does it matter? I'm you're fine now, ain'tcha?" Kiri sneered. His men chuckled. They of course immediately stopped when Zim shifted his weight, tossing his coat tails back and putting his hands into his dress pants' pockets, looking for all the world to see extremely irritated and like he desired to be elsewhere. It was true of course. He wanted to finish talking to Dib. He needed to make Dib understand what he had been trying to say but sadly that would have to wait until these buffoons left.

"Why did you come here Kiri? I do believe you're obligated to tell me since you broke down my door. It must have been important." Zim drawled, cocking his head.

"I told you. I wanted to see how things were going for ya. Didn't know you'd have a… guest over." Kiri's unintentional pause showed that he had wanted to use another word but didn't want to risk pissing Zim off.

"Woulda just knocked instead had I known." Kiri shrugged, sarcasm dripping from his every word.

Zim rolled his eyes. To be honest, he didn't care much about the door. He could easily fix it or have GIR fix it. No, he was irritated because Kiri had dared to set foot in his building. The rules that had been laid down the first time he and Kiri had crossed metaphorical swords were simple; 'stay off of my turf and I'll stay off of yours'.

Kiri just broke the rule. That gave Zim every right to just kill him on the spot, but Zim was a schemer. He wanted to see just what he could get out of the human meat sack before he obliterated him. The thought of Kiri and his men exploding like balloons filled with chunky soup made the corner of his mouth twitch up, catching Kiri's attention.

"Did I say something funny?" Kiri said, irritated. Zim didn't answer immediately, instead raising a single elegant eyebrow at him.

"The day you say something funny is the day I let you move into my Penthouse and become your personal servant. Considering that it's never going to happen, I'd have to say no."

Zim's humor was so dry that Dib couldn't help but chuckle from his hiding place. He instantly regretted making any noise because he saw Zim's back tense. He had heard him.

Zim kept his surprise and anxiety off of his face. Just because he knew Dib had followed him outside didn't mean Kiri and/or his men had to know. Dib was safe as long as he was hidden.

"Okay wise guy." Kiri said slowly. He took a few more steps closer to Zim, having to crane his neck a little just to look into the taller man's face.

"You know you owe me for that deal. I'm the one who got those guys to meet you in the first place."

Zim looked absolutely poisonous.

"Yes you did, and then when things didn't go the way you wanted, you attacked me. How dare you come here and expect me to—"

"Whoa calm down, Zayn." Kiri interrupted, making Zim glare at him.

"I just want to get my money and leave. Trust me, I don't want to be here anymore than you do. Plus I know you were busy when we came in. Don't want that, uh, 'friend' of yours to be kept waiting now do we."

Zim's eye twitched and Dib almost felt bad for Kiri. When Zim's eye twitched, it usually meant someone was about to get hurt. He took a step forward, looming over the other men, making them very nervous very quickly.

"I don't owe you any money. Now get out of here. I never want to see your face again. If I do, I'll kill you, do you understand?" He hissed. Kiri's eyes narrowed. Before he could say anything however, there was a sound from the far corner of the lot. All eyes immediately followed the sound. Kiri cocked his head and one of the taller men to his right went to check it out. Since all the humans were busy watching Thug #2, no one noticed Zim tense.

"Hey boss, look who I found snooping around."

He came around the corner with Dib under his arm and a gun trained on his head. Kiri turned and smiled at Zim, who only had eyes for Dib.

"You wanna give me my money now?"

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A/N: Shit just got real.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Man I am so sorry for the long hiatus. I knew/know exactly how this story is going to end, but I just couldn't find the words in order to complete it, and then I've moved fandoms so fucking much I just… It's been a while and I apologize for that.

Thanks to those of you who stuck around during the hiatus. If my writing style has changed, that's because it's been 2 whole years.

**Soundtrack: Pacific Rim Main Theme (on constant repeat because yeah, favorite action song); Fire and Water (Ryan Amon; Elysium OST)**

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Kiri continued to smirk in Zim's face. Dib figured it was because he knew who (and what) Zim really was, because if he had seen Zim go that still while staring at _him_, he would have run for his life in the other direction. Kiri and his crew however had no such knowledge, and just kept smiling.

"So." Kiri said. "How about it? You got my money, Zayn?" His hold on Dib tightened to the point of almost choking him, so Dib shifted around with a glare.

"Hey, I'd like to keep air in my lungs if you don't mind." He snapped, inhaling sharply when the gun was pressed harder to his head.

"If you want to keep your brains in your head, you'll be quiet." Kiri snarled. Dib caught Zim's eyes again. He looked murderous.

"Kiri." The alien said in a low voice. "Getting your money from me is the last thing you should be worrying about right now."

Dib heard the barely-controlled tremor in Zim's voice and started to get uneasy. Zim may care about him, but if he got angry enough, he might just forget about it. New Zealand and Hawaii kept popping to the forefront of his mind and he swallowed hard. Kiri however scoffed.

"Just give me my money and I'll let your boy toy here go. It doesn't have to be difficult."

"Oh but it does." Zim's voice was smooth once again as he tucked his chin to his chest. Dib could have groaned out loud. Things were about to get very ugly.

"You see, not only have you insulted me by coming into my home unannounced, but you have also threatened me repeatedly for money that I do not owe you, and now you have taken Dib hostage." He tsked quietly, smirking. "I cannot allow these actions to go unpunished."

Kiri opened his mouth to reply when he stopped. Everyone stopped. Zim seemed to be getting taller… Dib realized what was happening before anyone else, and found himself stuck between being amazed and being terrified out of his mind.

As it turned out, Zim had apparently not only managed to make his PAK device smaller, but he had somehow grafted his PAK's spider legs to his actual body. They tore through the back of his jacket and started to lift him up, making the humans in front of him shrink back.

"Christ, Zayn," Mika exclaimed, his eyes wide. "What are you, some kind of cyborg?"

Zim removed his wig, revealing his antennae to several gasps, and then his contacts. Dib stared up at him, still not sure whether he was supposed to be afraid or completely beside himself with excitement.

"My name is not Zayn." Zim said. He switched his holographic disguise off, leaving him towering over them in all his alien glory. He grinned, his zipper teeth looking more dangerous than usual in the shadow of the apartment complex.

"I am Zim, and I am an Irken Invader."

The reaction was instantaneous. There was no beat of silence, no awkward moment where no one knew what to do. Kiri let go of Dib and started running, his men following his lead. They didn't get very far before Zim leapt and landed in front of them, blocking their exit. The men fell over with varying degrees of horror. Dib scrambled to his feet, massaging his shoulder that felt sore after Kiri had dropped him.

"You're a monster." Kiri rasped, holding his arm out like he could stop Zim from reaching him. Zim's grin remained as he cocked his head.

"You have no idea." He said, sounding especially smug.

Now _there's _the Zim that Dib remembered. He subconsciously smiled at the sight. Zim moved his spider legs so that they caged the humans in, seeming delighted with the pleas they were making.

"Be quiet." Zim said, and to Dib's surprise, all the pleading stopped, leaving the men shaking on the ground.

"I have two options now. One, I could kill you and disintegrate your bodies so that no one would ever find you." Someone whimpered.

"Or," he continued, mockingly tapping his chin in thought, "I could just wipe your memories of this meeting, and hope that you never bother me again." His gaze returned to the humans at his feet.

"There is of course, a third option…" He leaned down so he was almost level with them. "I could wipe your brains completely of every mention of me, leaving just a hint of fear at the mention of the name Zayn, so that every time you hear it, your first instinct is to keep as far away as possible."

Dib jumped when arcs of electricity flew from Zim's body, embedding themselves in the men below him, making them cry out and spasm. Zim gritted his teeth, making him look absolutely feral as flashes of blue and white flew across his face. Dib had to shield his eyes when it got too bright, only lowering his hand when the light disappeared.

Zim still stood suspended over Kiri and his men, but the humans were motionless. Dib was worried for a moment that Zim had actually killed them until he saw their chests were moving. Slowly he approached, keeping an eye on Zim. The Irken was breathing heavily, his eyes unfocused.

"Zim?" Dib said gently, jumping when Zim's eyes snapped to him, full of anger. The anger settled seconds later, replaced with what looked to be relief. The spider legs lowered Zim back down to the ground, folding away and leaving him to support himself. Zim swayed and fell to his knees, a sigh escaping him. He was exhausted. Dib went to his side quickly, kneeling next to him.

"Zim, are you okay?" He asked, noting the slight tremor in Zim's arms. The Irken smiled up at him.

"I am okay, Dib-thing." The usually insulting name sounded endearing that time and Dib smiled back.

"Come on, let's get inside before someone sees us." Dib said, hooking an arm under Zim's and helping him to his feet. It was slow going but they made it to the elevator eventually. Zim slumped against the wall, closing his eyes and exhaling deeply. The door _ping'd_ open, and Dib stuck his head out. Seeing no one else in the hall, he led Zim to his penthouse, opening the door and helping him inside.

Once the door was shut and locked, Zim collapsed in his armchair, sighing again.

"So what exactly just happened?" Dib asked, thinking back to the lightning that came from Zim himself.

"You recall how I told you that mature Irkens develop abilities that will help them in battle. Along with my skill of finding people through brainwaves, I also learned that I could generate an electrical force from within myself, and use it however I pleased. I found it especially helpful with erasing memories, made possible by rearranging synapse clusters in the cerebrum." He smirked.

"I've used it on a few of my neighbors. They used to like to walk in unannounced before I got a new lock. Apparently the old owners of this apartment believed in the 'open house, open home, neighbors are family' philosophy."

Dib chuckled and sat down on the couch.

"I can't imagine that was pleasant."

Zim simply shook his head, his eyes sliding closed again.

"So… that conversation we were going to have." Dib started.

"Can wait until I can remain conscious for more than 30 seconds." Zim finished, his voice soft. Dib smiled and sat back against the couch, watching over the sleeping Irken.

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A/N: I believe there's one more chapter? Maybe two? We'll see. Hopefully this update is satisfactory for everyone. :) I've missed you!


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